According to the M23 rebel group and local witnesses, the explosions happened near Lake Kivu and a private residence located about 50 metres from the home of former Congolese president Joseph Kabila.
M23 accused the Congolese government of carrying out the drone strike, although the authorities have not yet responded to the allegation.
The rebel group claimed that three people were killed in the attack, but this has not been independently confirmed. Residents in the area said they only saw one body at the scene.
Those killed included Karine Buisset, a French national who worked with UNICEF. She was reportedly inside the residence when the explosion occurred.
Following the incident, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed sympathy to the victim’s family and called for respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of aid workers.
Fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has intensified since January 2025. Clashes between government forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have escalated after the group captured several key towns during rapid offensives.
In February, another drone strike reportedly killed a senior spokesperson of the rebel group who was involved in its military operations.
Despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States and Qatar, the conflict has continued and created a major humanitarian crisis. More than seven million people have been displaced by the violence.
